


Mistletoe and Wine

by Occasionalcoffeethereturn



Category: The X-Files RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-08 16:18:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5504462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Occasionalcoffeethereturn/pseuds/Occasionalcoffeethereturn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone deserves a little happiness at Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He zipped up his jacket a little further and rubbed his hands together in a vain effort to keep warm. Christ it was cold here, not on a New York scale of bone chilling frozen but a definite drop from the comfortable climes of Los Angeles. As he strolled up her street he was surprised to find it quieter than he expected. But the cars he saw parked bumper to bumper on both sides of the road and the lights emitted from most of the houses showed him that the reason it was quiet was because anyone sensible was tucked away indoors. A few people walked by him, their heads down and hands in their pockets eager to reach warmer destinations. For once it was nice to be ignored.

It was of course, raining, which was quite fitting for his arrival. Not full blown rain but annoying drizzle that stuck to you like a sheen of sweat. Every now and again a gust of wind blew more rain in his direction almost to spite him. Most of it seemed to land in his eyes. And he wasn't sure he didn't deserve it. They'd seen each other once since Vancouver, a few snatched days when she'd come to California in between being in India then London and now more recently, Belfast. He'd felt guilty for not coming to visit her and although they'd not made strict plans for taking turns in visiting each other he very much felt as though it was his turn. And guilty wasn't quite the right word. True, it was one emotion he felt but mostly he just missed her. Facetime and Skype had been something of a God send for both of them but it was no substitute for her body, he arms, her hands. Her lips. 

He felt he should be the one who made more of an effort and felt that even though she may not admit it, she liked to be asked out. Dated, courted. To be chased. And he simply had to do more running. He had promised her things would be alright and that he'd put the effort into a long distance relationship to give it a real go. Yet he'd failed to deliver on that promise. He knew she wouldn't blame him or hold it against him, she'd accept that it was difficult, shrug her shoulders and have a look in her eyes that said 'I told you'. She had also been very clear that he had one chance to prove himself. And he felt very much like he was hanging on to that one chance by the skin of his teeth.

He ran a hand over his face to clear it of the water droplets that pooled there and pulled his phone from his pocket. He picked a street lamp to stand under and leant against it, dropping his carry on bag on top of his feet. With his other hand he reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a slightly squashed looking branch with bright green leaves and white berries. He looked towards her house, seeing the upstairs lights were on and hoped it was a good time. If not he'd just have to wait. He could bear the dark, cold and drizzle just for her.

++++

She didn't know where they got their energy from. It was their last day at school, they'd had their Christmas disco, been jumping and dancing around like loons but still they wouldn't get to bed. She knew now they were both running on adrenaline, excitement and artificial colourings from party food but also knew that if she could just get both their heads to hit their pillows they'd be asleep in seconds. She'd just managed to get both of them bathed and now into pyjamas when she heard the chime of her phone from her back pocket. Talk about bad timing. Didn't people know anytime up until nine fell under the hour of serious bedtime negotiations in her house? She pulled her phone and her face softened slightly as she saw it was him calling her. She swiped to answer and couldn't help but smile. Who else would it be with such catastrophic timing? 

'Hi sweetie give me two seconds.'

'Ten minutes of reading Oscar then that lamp goes off please. I'll be back to check.'

He could hear Oscar give his best shot at begging for fifteen minutes with his Horrid Henry story and laughed as he heard her say twelve minutes as her final offer. He heard her give him a kiss and rustling as she made her way to the door, clicking it shut behind her. Finally her face came back into view. She looked beautiful, her hair framing her face in loose tendrils, her eyes bright and glowing and her cheeks showing just a hint of pink.

'Bad time?'

'Yes and no. Hopefully they'll go down for the night now but Christ that was hard work.'

'Sorry I kinda forgot the time difference. Again.'

'Hey it's ok. Where are you anyway it looks... Dark?'

He faltered for a second hoping he hadn't been busted and cleared his throat. Damn it, he'd been planning on keeping just his face in view so she didn't recognise what was behind him. He was determined to keep this a surprise.

'Sound stage. They've got a problem with the lighting or something so I had a break I thought I'd call.'

He saw her nod and she seemed to buy what he was saying, at least for now. He put his phone closer to his face and picked up his bag, moving carefully up her front steps and pressing her doorbell.

'Oh Jesus now what.'

'What's up?'

'Someone's at the fucking door. Just when I thought I'd get some peace to talk to you...'

'Hey it's ok I can stick around while you answer it.'

He saw her smile a little sadly and her face was gone, his view of her blurry floor but he still heard her as she shuffled downstairs to the door, switching the upstairs light off and flicking on the downstairs one. His throat was suddenly dry and he felt nervous, the mistletoe in the palm of his hand was making it sweaty and the rain on his face made his nose wet. He knew she'd be surprised and not angry but he always felt like this every time he was about to see her. His chest would swell, his palms would sweat, his mouth would dry up. It was like first date nerves all over again each and every time. What it was, really, was the nervous excitement of being in love. Each time he saw her was like the first time. He shook his head to clear the rain drops and waited as the large, heavy door cracked open and she peered through the small gap in the security chain.

He watched as her eyebrows shot up and her face cracked into a huge smile, her hands frantically undoing the chain, trying to open her door wider to let him in.

She pulled on the lapels of his jacket and shut the door behind them, allowing him to drip water all over the doormat. He was smiling at her reaction to him being there and remembering a time when she'd done this to him on his birthday in New York, only she didn't resemble a drowned rat nor hold a sagging sapling in her left hand. She opened and closed her mouth to speak several times but no words came out. Eventually she giggled at him and reached up to run her index finger on the one dry patch of skin between the base of his throat and the v of his sweater.

'I knew you weren't on a fucking sound stage!'

Now that he had to laugh at, he knew she'd caught him in the act of lying earlier and had let it slide. He never had been able to lie to her, not when it came down to it. He dropped his bag to the floor and tucked his phone away. She continued to shake her head at him.

He removed his jacket, switching the mistletoe between both hands as he did so and she wordlessly took it from him, hanging it next to hers on the set of hooks next to the door. Her eyes never once broke contact with his and he felt himself warming up already, and not just through being inside.

Her fingers slid slowly into his free hand, grazing over his wrist and palm smoothly to interlock with his. He spread his fingers wide before clasping her hand tightly, his thumb caressing hers.

'Hi,' she managed, her neck straining to look up at him in just her slippers. Sometimes she hated their height difference and at the end of a long day her neck protested. But at times like this, when the rest of the world faded to silent and it was just the two of them, him leaning over her made her feel safe, protected and loved.

He pulled her close to him, their bodies touching all the way from her chest to her knees. He moved their arms so their joined hands rested on top of her buttock to bring her closer to him still and looked down between them. He smiled at the contrast of her slippered feet that had found their way between his wet shoes.

'Hi you.'

Her thumb rubbed his index finger as his thumb rubbed hers and he dug their clasped hands into her back, reassuring them both that this was real and not some wonderful dream they'd both wake up from.

'You're here.'

'Very much so.'

'Thank you. You know what this means to me I...' she stopped, faltering for words. 

'Hey. It shouldn't have taken me this long to get over here. I'm sorry.'

His apology was a whisper against her hair as her free arm found its way around his waist, rubbing circles into the small of his back. Just holding her hand and the feel of her fingers caressing his was enough to start making him hard for her.

'I thought maybe I could kiss you hello,' he murmured against her and he felt her giggle against his chest.

'I see you brought the goods to do so.'

'I did. How very astute of you.'

He pulled back from her, their hands still held together and dangling at their sides. Her other arm was still cradled round his back, and had worked its way under his shirt to stroke the skin on the small of his back. She cast her eyes upwards as he held the mistletoe between them but over her head and watched as the edges of his mouth curved into a smile. 

'Merry Christmas sweetheart.'

He untangled his hand from hers reluctantly and tucked his arm under her ass, pulling her closer and up higher towards him at the same time. She was straining on the points of her toes reaching her mouth up towards his, but didn't have time to wish him a merry Christmas in return before his lips were on hers, brushing across them. His lips were soft, his touch far more gentle and chaste than she was used to. He touched them over hers once, twice and let his eyes search hers. The third time he lingered, his lips pressing on hers more firmly and his touch sending shivers down her spine. This was a kiss that told her he missed her, he wanted her, he loved her and she moaned against him wanting more. Her tongue flicked out to trace over his lower lip and it seemed to be his undoing, his arm pulling her closer still and his tongue snaking out to tease hers.

The mistletoe fluttered to the floor somewhere next to them as they gave into their need for each other. His tongue circled hers, their heads tilting for better access and she pulled back to suck his lower lip into her mouth, kissing it gently. He hummed against her and his hands caressed her back, her sides, thumbs roaming upwards to tease the underside of her breasts. Hers tightly gripped the strong muscles of his back to anchor her to him, nails digging in to hang on. Her balance faltered slightly and he held her to let her feet rest on the ground, dipping his head low so his forehead could rest against hers. Their breathing was hard, both breathless from kissing and his arms encircled her waist.

'Not bad for a hello.'

He rubbed his nose against hers and pecked at her lips. 

'I want hundreds of hellos with you tonight.'

'Making up for lost time?'

He nodded, his forehead moving up and down against hers and reached to clasp hold of her hand again. He brought their joined hands up between them and stepped back to look at their intertwined fingers.

'I know I've let you down...'

'David.'

'No, let me finish. This isn't how I wanted things to be. I want to see you more. I want to be with you. I'm just doing a fucking awful job of showing you that.'

It wasn't that she was angry with him, it wasn't even that she was particularly upset. She just felt resigned to the fact that every few months she'd see him, they'd be together for a few days and then go their separate ways. They had wanted to make it a more regular arrangement, see each other at least every month but it just hadn't worked. Some of that was her fault being two continents away from him rather than one, then he'd gone back to Los Angeles. It hurt to be away from him and she missed him, but in the back of her mind and in her heart she'd feared it would happen. And she'd been right to be scared. And truth be told she had hoped he would visit her a little more and make the most of the chance she'd given him. But maybe these quarterly visits were all she could hope for. Maybe it was all best left as a casual arrangement, that way no one got disappointed, no one was angry, no one had falsely elevated expectations.

'Maybe it's for the...'

'No please don't. Please don't say that. I know I'm on my last half a chance here but please let me try this new year.'

More words from him again. More words with meaning but not necessarily the follow through and intent. She sighed long and hard. He had proved himself this evening with this visit and the more his hands stroked her skin, the more she smelt him, tasted him and felt his lips on hers, the more she knew it was a half chance she had to give him.

'You know what I think?'

She peered up at him through her lashes and traced a finger over his lips, allowing him to kiss it for just a second.

'What do you think?'

She walked backwards away from him towards the living room, not breaking eye contact as she moved away and extending her hand towards him to get him to follow.

'I think tonight should be like the song. After mistletoe... There's wine.'

He caught a glimpse of the open fire behind her and the rosy glint in her cheeks. He toed off his shoes quickly to follow her. It wasn't an answer it was a deflection, a distraction, it's what he was used to from her. But right now he'd take it.


	2. Chapter 2

She sat cross legged on the rug in front of the fire, staring at the logs as they spat, crackled and hissed. There was something hypnotic about watching as the orange and gold flames danced around. He watched her for a few seconds, pausing in the doorway then sat behind her, back propped up against the base of the armchair. He rested his chin on her shoulder and slid his arms around her, resting them over her arms. He placed a kiss at the angle of her jaw and she angled her head to allow him to place open mouthed kisses down her neck. His nose nuzzled behind her ear and his voice was low and gravelly.

'I'll get the wine baby.'

He felt her nod and she squeezed his forearm in response. As he went through to her kitchen he tried not to think too much about how comfortable he was feeling, how easy it was just being with her in her house. Not to mention he located the corkscrew, wine and two glasses without a second thought. He craved this normality with her, and found himself gazing at her kitchen table picturing the two of them sat reading over coffee at breakfast fighting over the best supplements from the Sunday papers. He rested the wine on the table to open it and found that it didn't seem too strange to picture two young boys sat there with them. He wasn't sure his thoughts would be particularly well received, so he ended his daydream and watched as dark fruity liquid sloshed to fill the glasses.

He resumed his position behind her on the floor and handed her a glass of wine. She tilted back to smile at him, her face relaxing and offering her glass up to clink with his.

'David. Merry Christmas honey.'

Her eyes sparkled at his and his smile was wide as he raised his glass to his mouth, taking a long slow sip and watching as she did the same. The endearment was definitely not lost of him. 

'I've missed you.'

She exhaled and dipped her head forward. He placed his wine glass on the floor beside him and carefully untangled her hair tie from her hair, running his fingers through the soft blonde strands. She leaned her head back into his hands and took a sip of her wine as he massaged her scalp, his nails scratching in the most relaxing way and making her head tingle with goosebumps. His fingers each drew small circles around the back of her head, his efforts concentrated on the patches behind her ears and she moaned her appreciation. 

'This is... God this is so nice.'

'How are you?'

She stifled a laugh, forcing herself once again to remember this was how things were between them now. They talked about all sorts of things, little things, big things. Every day life things. Normal things. She'd made a conscious effort to open up to him more and he'd done the same, despite how strange it felt. Nobody had been lying when they said that relationships were hard work. His fingers continued their ministrations, his thumbs pushing on either side of the vertebrae in her neck and his fingers dipping down to rub her collar bone.

'Frantic today. Last day of school. Those boys have so much energy, sometimes I just can't keep up.'

His lips replaced where his fingers had just been, his mouth closing over the bones in her spine as strong hands closed over her shoulders and massaged, pulling her muscles out to stretch them and pushing away the tension between them. She had no idea where he'd learned to do this but God it felt so good.

'I hope you've got some reserves left.'

She shifted her ass against his groin, feeling his erection brush against her and his hands squeezed her harder momentarily. He took that as a firm yes and swallowed heavily, his mouth dry. He bit his lower lip as he tried to get his thoughts back on track. He wanted this to last, he wanted to be able to take his time with her tonight.

'They excited about Christmas?'

She was silent for a beat too long before continuing. 'I think so. Certainly more now they've finished school.'

His hands roamed lower over her middle back, one snaking inside her sweater. His fingers brushed lightly over her skin and found the clasp of her bra, unclipping it and pushing the straps out of the way. His thumbs pushed away the indents of where the material had been and she gasped as his fingers found the sensitive undersides of her breasts.

'When are you due back in Belfast?'

She was silent for longer this time and he sensed it wasn't because she was too relaxed to answer. She sighed and reluctantly took herself out of his arms to turn and face him.

'This is weird David. It feels like husband and wife stuff, not us.'

She knew before the words has finished leaving her lips that she'd hurt him. She didn't know what was so wrong with what was happening between them, maybe the surprise of his arrival and now this... It just didn't feel like him. It didn't quite feel like them.

'You'd rather I just walked in the door and we fucked, is that it? Trust me Gillian it would be one hell of a lot easier for me to do that. But I'm trying here.'

'I know you are and I'm sorry. It's just... It's a bit...'

He waited whilst she put her words together, his hands coming to a stop but still holding her. He felt her sigh and shake her head. Whatever it was she wanted to say she couldn't find the words to say it.

'I know I can't just come here and act like the weeks haven't passed by. And I'm sorry this feels weird to you. And no we're not married but this...', his voice quietened. 'This is forever for me as it's gonna get.'

She twisted around to face him this time, her eyes wet with tears that threatened to spill. She took sips of her wine to calm her down and crawled towards him, climbing on top of him to straddle his lap. His hands held her against him, their faces more level.

'I love that you're trying. I do. You keep trying...'

He cracked a small smile at her, his hands reaching around to cup her ass and pull her to him. His lips found hers, his tongue tasting the wine they'd both drunk and he felt her rock herself against him. The thin folds of her clothes moved up and down against his engorged cock and his tongue delved deeper inside her mouth, thrusting against her teeth. He was mimicking what he'd be doing to her later on and she was more aroused as the seconds ticked by.

She pulled away from his mouth, her lips wet and swollen with kisses as she whispered to him.

'David. You keep trying and I'll keep trying not to bolt.'

'I'd run to the ends of the earth for you, you know that.'

She stopped and held his gaze, feeling two tears from escape from each of her eyelids. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Her nimble and capable fingers made short work of his buttons as she pushed his shirt back onto his shoulders, her fingers scratching over his nipples. He captured her lips with his again and moaned deeply into her kiss, weaving his hand into her hair to tug it gently whilst his other hand dug deep into her firm ass. His fingers strayed between her cheeks and her hips jerked reflexively against him. He was rewarded as her tongue reached back in his mouth and her fingers scratched harder and hotter into his skin. He loved it when he could see her scratches on him the next morning, hugely turned on by being marked as hers by her.

He detached his lips from hers to set to work on her ears, licking down from her tragus and taking her lobe into his mouth. He bit down on it lightly before she heard a growled whisper in her ear.

'I know how wet you are for me.'

'Yeah?'

Another thrust of her hips against him, clothes still in the way.

'You've been wet for me since you answered your phone.'

'You gonna take advantage of that or are we gonna sit here and talk about it all night?'

Lips moved down and over her neck, nipping, sucking and biting. She knew exactly what he was doing, what he loved to do. To work her into as much of a frenzy as he could with her still fully clothed then strip her down and fuck her naked. Hard. He took her by surprise, biting her breast just hard enough through her tshirt and bra that she felt the twinge of pain and pleasure, all too short and sweet.

Her hands scratched lower until they reached his belt, but she gasped as she felt his hand close around her wrist, squeezing it tightly and holding it up between them. She pushed and wriggled against him again, watching as he battled against her and closed his eyes.

'No. That's against the rules.'

His voice was gravelly, his pupils dark, dilated and dangerous.

'I never did abide by rules David.'

His thumb squeezed against her pulse point and her breathing was ragged. She'd made herself close just by her motions up and down on him and now he was holding her still to the point of marking her, bruising her, and it simply made her wetter.

'Rebel.'

She pinched his nipple and he let go of her hand. She tipped herself further forward, her tongue licking over his bottom lip as she managed to graze her clit in just the right place on the outline of his jeans.

She pulled her sweater up and off, her bra already loose from earlier as it came away with it.

'This rebel has a cause,' she breathed before her lips were back on his, pulling his lower lip into her mouth and tracing it with her tongue. These lips were hers, this mouth was hers, this man was hers. He had been for over twenty years and would be for thirty or so more.

He released her mouth suddenly, feeling her breasts as they teased his chest and he took a nipple between his teeth, sucking and biting as his fingers caressed the underside gently. Her head flopped onto his shoulder and her legs spread wider against him. His other hand delved skilfully between their bodies, under the elastic of her panties to stroke her clit. He swiped at the side of it, knowing how indirect pressure caused her to writhe and tonight was no exception. One, two, three strokes and he was done, her protests loud and her teeth sinking down on his shoulder. She looked up at him through her lashes.

'Please David.'

'Please what.'

'You know I hate rules.'

He removed his hand from under her clothing and lifted his fingers to his face, taking the middle two into his mouth and licking them clean. He released them and her mouth was on them, drawing them inside and tasting her own musky scent. She used her teeth and tongue to pull them in and out of her mouth, wishing to God or whoever would listen that he'd just hurry up and fuck her senseless already. She smiled as she saw his hands reach for his belt, loosening the buckle. She moved up and away from him, standing on shaky legs as she pulled off her pants and panties, standing naked before him. He dropped his pants to the ground, his belt dropping heavily, shirt still loose around his shoulders.

'I'm not much of a fan of rules either.'

She tugged on the flapping wings of his shirt, pulling him towards her. She pushed it down over his arms and off, discarded behind them.

'David. Lay down.'

There was no elegant way to do this so he simply did as he was told, first kneeling then lying back on the rug in front of the fire. The glow of the flames warmed his skin as she straddled his thighs, her hand stroking him from root to tip. 

'This ok in your little rule book?'

He managed a nod, watching as she guided her entrance towards him, her clit brushing and hovering over the tip of him before she inched herself over him. She rocked herself back and forth gently, burying him inside of her and paused, tipping forward to lean her hands on his chest. Her hair cascaded down over her breasts, her lips parted and her brow furrowed in concentration. He wanted to bottle just how beautiful she looked in this moment, store it, keep it and never let it go.

'Very. I think it should be a rule that you can do this whenever you please.'

'I think it should be a rule that you don't talk when I'm about to fuck you.'

She squeezed her inner muscles around him and he in turn squeezed her ass cheek, his finger creeping further towards the edge of her sphincter. She eased up and down on him slowly, raising and lowering her body to find the right angle for her. Her fingers dug into his hand and her mouth formed a circle, her breathy moans echoing off the walls. He loved it when she took control of her own pleasure like this, and was happy to come along for the ride, in more ways than one.

His finger circled her ass and she cried out, her movements speeding up on top of him and her downward thrusts frantic. She was close already and he could tell her body was crying out for its release, her nipples dark and pebbled and her face flushed, eyes closed in concentration. His finger slid over the wetness that had collected between her legs and he pushed the tip inside her ass. He watched where they were joined, the folds of her flesh enveloping him. She was so tight, so hot and she felt so fucking good.

'That's it baby, come on.'

'Fuck David. I love you so fucking much. Look what you're doing to me.'

'Come for me babe, come on.'

'More, push it in more David please.'

His finger eased inside, filling her a little more on each of her downstrokes. He pushed down hard on her front wall, stroking it from inside her ass and she couldn't help but cry out as she came. The sensations were almost too much for him as he felt her tight walls convulsing against his dick and her ass cheeks squeezing against her finger. Her head was thrown back, an expression of pure pleasure across her face as she continued to ride him up and down, allowing the waves of orgasm to course over her.

He felt her move back slightly against him, her breathing hard and fast. He gently removed his finger, waiting for her to recover as his cock twitched, still rock hard inside her.

'Fuck I just came so hard. Fuck. My God David.'

'If rules make things this good...'

'I'll write a fucking book about them.'

'A dream of rules?'

'Fuck off,' she teased, grinding her pelvic floor around him and hearing him hiss. 'Do you want me to take care of this or not?'

His hands held onto her hips and his head tilted to the right, his eyes silently asking permission if he could roll her over. She nodded and held onto him, their bodies still joined as one as he moved them. She settled herself onto her back, a satisfied smile across her face.

'This won't take long.'

'Shame. Losing it Duchovny?'

He thrust inside her hard and fast and pulled almost all the way out, slowly, watching as she bit down on her bottom lip. 

'It's hard not to lose it with you.'

She locked eyes with him as her legs scaled up the back of his thighs, legs crossing at her ankles and heels clamping around his back to anchor herself to him. 

'Then lose yourself babe,' she whispered.

He rested his weight on his elbows, his face level with hers and began to move. His thrusts were steady and powerful and he plucked at her lips, kissing her, tasting her, loving her as he made love to her. She moaned against his lips, clenching her inner thighs around him. He bit down on her lip and sped up, pumping in and out of her with ease. He felt her heels climb further up his back and he was able to thrust even deeper inside her. The new angle meant his cock hit her cervix with each downstroke and she felt the beginnings of orgasm stir within her. Surely she couldn't again when the first one had been so powerful. 

He recognised the change in pitch of her moans and her thighs clenching against him, realising he could probably make her come again. He almost lost it himself with the thought and croaked out 'Again?' in her ear.

'Yes. Oh fuck David yes dontstop.'

His leaned his weight on one arm moving the other underneath her lower back to tilt her closer to him. His thrusts were pushing hard and rough inside her now and he felt tingling as he prepared for release. He held on tightly and pumped frantically to his release, hoping he could take her with him.

'Oh. Oh David I'm gonna come....'

Her back arched against his arm and his cock pulsed inside her, her walls quaking against him in waves. His mouth found hers as they rode out their orgasm together, tongues licking lips in sloppy but satisfied kisses.

He was breathing against her like a freight train and she slowly moved her legs down from around him, allowing him to slip out of her and lie next to her, propping himself up on his side. She stared at the ceiling, a slight shake of her head before turning to face him.

'I knew you'd have that look on your face.'

'What look?'

'You look so fucking smug Duchovny.'

'I make you come twice and all you do is criticise...'

He rolled his eyes and she swatted his chest playfully.

'You know I've only ever done that with you.'

Her tone was playful but her words and expression were serious, her voice quiet. She looked vulnerable admitting it to him and he nodded at her, his thumb running over her lower lip.

'You know,' he began, watching as she propped herself up opposite him to mirror his pose. The flames of the fire reflected off her skin, giving it a pink and orange hue.

'Sex with you has always been good. But since I can tell you I love you... Gillian it's gone off the scale for me.'

'I know. I feel the same.'

'We're okay?'

'We are.'

He lent down to place a chaste kiss to her lips before retrieving the throw from the sofa to keep her warm.

'David?'

'I love you.'

He turned to look up at her as he unfolded the blanket, smiling at her with a smile that reached his eyes.

'If this is you trying and things are this good...'

He tucked the throw over both of their lower bodies, watching her sated, happy expression. He propped himself up again to watch her, loving the fact he was able to see her look quite so happy, and knowing he was the reason for it.

'Please never stop.'

He shook his head, reached for their abandoned wine glasses and smiled at her. Merry Christmas indeed.


End file.
